1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a liquid discharge apparatus and a liquid supply path state detection method.
2. Related Art
Among ink jet printers which are liquid discharge apparatuses, for example, a means for detecting residual vibration in a cavity after a liquid droplet discharge operation using an actuator and for detecting discharge abnormalities in a liquid droplet discharge head based on a vibration pattern which is detected and a liquid droplet discharge apparatus (an ink jet printer) which is provided with this means are known as described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2006-218872. Due to this detecting means, it is possible to detect an abnormality in nozzle units without the need for an apparatus for detecting discharge abnormalities, and further, it is possible to detect discharge abnormalities even during a printing operation.
However, even though it is possible for the liquid droplet discharge apparatus described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2006-218872 to detect discharge abnormalities which are caused by the state of the cavities (pressure chambers for discharging liquid droplets) or the nozzles, there is a problem that it is not possible to detect abnormalities in a liquid supply path which supplies a liquid to the cavities. There are discharge abnormalities which are caused when there are abnormalities in the liquid supply path. For example, there is an abnormality in pressure in the ink supply path due to bubbles or the like being mixed or generated in the liquid supply path, ink leaking from the nozzle which is caused by an abnormality in pressure in the ink supply path, and the like.